1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming system for printing data transferred to a printer from a computer, and more particularly to a high security image forming system for printing high secret data transferred to a printer from a computer remote therefrom by way of a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been put into practice an image forming system where data is transferred from a computer by the use of a network to an image forming apparatus or a printer server remote from the computer to print according to the data. In such a system, since the data transferred to the image forming system is once stored and then printed in the order of transfer, the man (or woman) who has instructed the printing from the computer seldom meets the data printed out. Accordingly, there arises a problem that the printed paper is left in the image forming system, which opens secret of the data.
In order to provide such a problem, there are proposed various methods of keeping the secret where print of data is inhibited if the IC card, password or the like is not input by providing the image forming system with an input means through which a hard key such as an IC card is input, or a keyboard through which a password is input. (See, for instance, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-282477.) In such a system where print of data is allowed if the IC card, password or the like is input, the security is ensured on the assumption that the IC card is prepared by a man (or woman) who has instructed printing himself (or herself) or a man (or woman) who belongs to the same section as his (or hers) and the man (or woman) who has instructed printing himself or a man (or woman) who belongs to the same section as his (or hers) takes out the printed paper.